Vehicle body



F. T. HOULE Sept. 4, lsza VEHICLE sont Filed Apri; 4. 1922 .l EYIf/MLQQPatented Sept. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES 1,583,467 PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS T. HOULE, 0F AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO BIDDLE & SMARTCOMPANY, OF AMESBURY, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

VEHICLE BODY.

Application filed April 4,

This invention relates to vehicles bodies, and particularly toautomobile bodies, of the type comprising a frame having a covering ofsheet material, usually sheet metal, such as aluminum.

In such bodies as usually constructed, the covering comprises upper andlower sections which meet at an approximately horizontal line extendingabout the body. ln order to form a tight and neat appearingl jointalone; this line, various expedients have been adopted, such the use ofa separate moldinfn` strip to cover the joint, the employment otseparate attachingr strips tor one or the other oiI the etions, or therelative offsetting of the sections to torni an overhangiug shoulderalong the line in question.

'l'he present invention has tor its object to provide a joint of thecharacter referred to which is ot' simple and inexpensive construction,which is ot' neat and attractive ai` pear ance, which permits the twosections to lie flush with .one another, which elfectually excludeswater, which does not require any supplemental strips or other elementsin addition to the covering` sections themselves and the nails or otherfasteningdevices tor securing the saine to the frame, and in which saidt'astcning` devices are entirely concealed.

The foregoing and other objects ot the in vention, together with meanswhereby the same may be carried into effect, ill best be understood tromthe following description of one torni or embodiment thcreot illustratedin the aecompanyin 3l drawings, in which Fig'. l is a rear elevation otan automobile havinrl a body constructed in accordance with theinvention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sedi taken substantially on the line Q urel.

Fig. 8 is a i etail elevation of the joint viewed from the interior ofthe body, or from the right ot Figure 2.

The automobile body shown in Figure l is provided with a covering` otsheet metal or other sheet material comprisingV an upper section 5 and alower section (l lying' substantially tlush therewith, the joint betweenthe two sections being indicated at 7. The coverin;r sections 5 and (3are secured to the usual inner Aframe of wood or other material, saidtrame, in accordance with the present invention. comprising upper andlower onal view o e, Fig

1922. Serial No. 549,439.

parallel portions 8 and 9 (see Figures 2 and 3) having between them aslot or slots 10, disposed adjacent the joint 7. The frame portions 8and E) at the back and each side otl the body may comprise two separateparallel members spaced apart to provide the slot l0, or may assume theform of a single frame member having a longitudinal slot therein. Theupper edge ot the lower section G lies substantially at the lower edgeoi the slot l0, and the upper margin ot said section adjacent Said edgeis secured to the outer face ot' the Ytrarne portion S) by nails orother suitable fastening devices ll. The lowerl marginal portion ot theupper section 5 adjacent the slot l() is oiiiset outwardly or bent intothe form ot a moldine' l2 overlapping the upper margin of the lowersection (3, is thence doubled upon itself. as shown at i3, to a linesubstantially opposite the upper et re ot the lower section (i. and isthence bent inwardly. as indicated at 14; in Fig. 2, and extended intothe trame through the slot lt), where it is secured to said trame withinthe latter. lret'erably the inner edge ot the said marginal portion isslitted to lorin tongues l5 and liti which are bent alternately upwardlyand downwardly and secured tb the inner faces ol the frame portions 8and fl, respectively, by means ot nails or other t; ners li. At lt) isindicated one ot a series otscrews or other fastening means by which theirame members 8 and S) are drawn together and secured to each other tomake a more tirm and rigid joint.

llt will be seen that the covering above described presents a neatajoearance, requires no offsetting ot the covering sections and is oi" asimple and inexpensive rharmfter capable ot being very easily appliedand requiring no molding or fastening' strips or other auxiliary parts.lt will also be seen that there no crack or other opening; at the uppersido oll the joint through which water may enter, the molding l2 beingYintegral with the upper coveringl section 5 and overlapping the upperedge and margin ol' the lower section (3. Moreover', by extending' thepart il through the trame tothe interior thereof. it will be seen thatsaid part may be engaged by a suitable gripping tool. whereby the jointmay be drawn as tightly as muy he desired. prior to the bending ot thetongues l5 and 1G and the insertion ot the tastenings 1T, therebycausing the lower llitr lll) edge of the molding 12 to engage the outersurface of the lower section 6 with any desired degree of pressure.Furthermore, although both of the covering sections are secured directlyto the frame Without interposition of other fastening members, it willbe seen that the nails or other fasteners ll and 17 by which saidsections are secured to the frame are all concealed, so as to beinvisible from the exterior. These and other advantages of the inventionWill, however, be readily understood Without further eX- planation.

YWhat I claim is:

1. A vehicle body comprising a frame having tivo parallel portionsforming between them a slot, and a covering of sheet material, saidcovering having a marginal portion bent at an angle to the remainderthereof and extended through said slot, the inner edge of said marginalportion being slitted to form tongues which are bent alternately inopposite directions and secured to the inner sides of said frameportions respectively.

2. A vehicle body comprising a frame and a covering therefor of sheetmaterial comprising a pair of adjacent sections, one seetion having amarginal portion bent to form a bead covering the joint between thesections said bead having an integral projection extending inwardlythrough the frame and bent in opposite directions over the inner face ofthe frame.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature.

FRANCIS T. HOULE.

